Epilogue
by Thel
Summary: Post 'Meridian'. SG1 returns to PX3-888 and runs into two old friends of Daniel's.


"So, tell me again why we're here?"  O'Neill said dryly as the Stargate whooshed closed behind them.  Sam and Teal'c looked over at him as they adjusted their packs on their shoulders.

"Colonel, we went through this in the briefing…"  Carter started.

"I know, I know.  Baby-sit a geomorpholofa…whatever for a couple weeks."  He sighed.  "I was listening.  What I meant was, what did we do to get stuck with this detail… and why did Jonas get out of it?"

Major Carter ducked her head to hide her smile.  "General Hammond wanted us here because we've been here before.  I think he thought it might be a nice break for us while Jonas was busy with the Tollan artifacts."

"Yeah… that's another thing.  Why exactly would a planet with rivers full of wild Goa'uld and forests full of wild Unas be considered a _break_?"  He spread his hands wide to convey his disdain.

"SG1?"  A female voice called from the brush.  The trio turned to see a figure picking its way toward them.  She stopped abruptly as her camouflaged, wide-brim sunhat caught on a branch.  As she tugged it free, O'Neill turned to Carter.

"Lemee guess… the geomofalist?"

"Geomorphologist, sir."

"Lord save me from scientists."  He muttered under his breath.  His grimace turned into a quick, fake grin as the woman finally got free and bounded up to them.

She adjusted her hat, putting it back in place.  Carter cocked her head.  The woman was in her mid-thirties, but looked about ten years younger, baby-faced and smiling.  Her hair was cut boyishly short and it was brown.  From the spiky look it had when her hat had fallen off, it would probably grow out curly and thick.  Her grin was wide and inviting, she had a small pug-nose and a smattering of freckles that dropped another couple years off her look.  Her eyes were a peculiar shade of brown, so pale that they were almost a sunny golden colour.  They twinkled behind the lenses of her glasses.  The members of SG1 felt their hearts constrict as one with the painful reminder of their own lost scientist.

She stuck out a hand.  "Emma Collier.  Great to finally meet you guys.  I can't believe that after three years in the program, we've never run into each other."

Jack shook her head perfunctorily.  "Yeah.  Well, I've never been one for sitting around the water cooler…"

"And the Christmas parties are just not fun, yeah, I know."  She finished.  Jack frowned slightly.  He'd used that exact line on Daniel a couple of years ago.

"You guys all right?"  Carter broke in.  She motioned with her chin at the spectacular bruise splashed across Collier's cheekbone.  Whatever had hit her had a hell of a punch.

Emma's fingers crept up to her face, but before she could respond, a male voice yelled out through the woods.  "Collier!  Where the hell are you?"  The scientist flinched, ducking her head in her shoulders.  She shot the team a tight smile and skittered sideways.  Three armed men emerged from the path.  The lead one frowned sourly.  "Dammit, Collier, what have I said about sticking with us?"  He came up to the SG1 team and nodded.  "Nice to see you, Colonel O'Neill… Carter… Teal'c."

Jack shifted on his feet.  "Major Harris.  How's SG9 holding up?"

"Looking forward to getting on with some real work, let me tell you.  As much fun as playin' step'n fetchit for a civilian is,"  He drawled with heavy sarcasm,  "It will be nice to get back to doing something useful for a change."

"Well… technically, this could be a great help for us if we can determine the characteristics of the primordial Goa'uld especially in relation to the, uh, naquadah levels and the evolution of the parasitic relationship with Unas, with particular emphasis on how the Unas / Goa'uld relationship developed to the point where they were able to decipher the Stargate and…"  Emma had one hand scratching the back of her neck.  Again, Sam felt her heart give a little pang.  She had to look away as the scientist pushed her glasses up with a finger, still rambling on.

O'Neill was similarly reminded.  He turned away and muttered.  "What… do they have a pattern for scientists or something?  Make a mould?  Is there a class they all have to attend?"  Teal'c simply looked unaffected by the whole mess although one could almost swear that he was amused.

Harris reached out a hand and grabbed the scientist by the back of the neck.  "Let's go, Poindexter."  Emma's voice abruptly cut off as he dragged her away.  Cole and Brandt, the other soldiers, snickered as Harris led the scientist away, half crouched.  "We have about a two mile hike ahead of us."  He shoved Collier forward, she stumbled, but looked back, flashing a grin.  She turned as if to fall back with SG1.  Harris grabbed her arm and pushed her forward.  "Oh no.  You wanted to run ahead so badly, you stay in front.  You can flush out any bad guys."  He laughed.  Emma shrugged and took point.

Frowning at this odd exchange, SG1 looked at each other.  Shouldering their packs and lifting their weapons, they followed behind.

- - - - -

The camp was set up in a clearing.  Because of the risk of Goa'uld possession, rain collectors were in place, and a fresh water supply was delivered every few days.  A hillside had been exposed, the layers of soils and sediments stripped bare and laid out for all to see.  One of the large tents acted as a portable lab and there were two smaller tents set up, room for two soldiers while one was on watch.

"So, you guys are pulling out in the morning?"  Jack asked.  They had been briefed by the General that the day would serve as a transition time.  Harris and SG9 would fill in their replacements on their duties and anything interesting that had been discovered and then set out the next day.

"Yeah.  Don't know why.  Coulda told you everything you need to know in ten minutes.  Poindexter can fill you in on anything we miss.  Lord knows she talks enough.  Might as well get something useful out of it."

"Major.  Didn't your mama ever teach you to speak politely about ladies?"  O'Neill said.  Fun was fun, but this was getting a bit much.  There was a strange dynamic here and he didn't feel right encouraging it.

"Let you know if I meet any, sir."  The major winked.  "No offence, Major Carter.  We'll start getting our stuff out of the way and you guys can set up in the tents.  The doc sleeps in her lab."  The three marines walked off and got busy.  SG1 exchanged glances again.

"Anything here seem a bit strange to you, Carter?"  O'Neill said softly, weapons still in position.

"Ah, well… if you mean the macho, military, geek of the week mad on, sir…"

"Yeah."  O'Neill turned.  "That's what I thought.  Let's get set up."

- - - - - 

Two hours later, SG1 was moved in to the tents, and SG9 had packed up.  They would be doubling up for the night, Carter staying with Collier in the lab while the five men would split the watches and the tents.  As Harris had predicted, the briefing took him less than ten minutes.  They patrolled the camp, set up equipment and hauled the occasional bag of rocks.  All in all, it had been a two-week vacation.

"What about assisting with the lab work?"  Carter asked.  "We were briefed that we would be assisting the doctor with her studies."

The three men exchanged glances and chuckles.  "The doc kicked us out of the lab.  Said we were just getting in the way."  Cole shrugged.  "Less work for us.  Just too bad the fishing's so rotten, hey, Colonel?"

Again, O'Neill got the weird vibe.  All he could do was grin and look at Carter.

In the lab, Teal'c observed the doctor working.  He found her presence strangely calming.  He missed the chatter of an enthusiastic mind.  So often, of late, their minds had been on military matters.  It made for quiet missions.

"Like I said to the colonel, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Have you worked for the SGC long, Emma Collier?"

"Oh, you can call me Emma… but you won't, will you?"  She shot him a look as she picked up a beaker, and shook it.  Teal'c simply lifted an eyebrow.  "Yeah."  She continued.  "You're more the formal type, huh?"  Her watch beeped.  "Oops… time to decant!"  She moved over to a table full of one-litre beakers.  Screwing a black bulb onto a pipette, she whistled merrily as she methodically drew out measured portions of liquid from the beakers and decanted it into beakers with filter paper-lined funnels.

"What are you doing?"  Teal'c asked.

Looking sideways at him, Collier replied.  "Ah… checking the rates of settling.  Helps me create a profile of the sediments.  I'm creating a picture of the area as it existed when the primordial Goa'uld lived."

"Why?"  Teal'c asked.  He picked up a pipette and bulb and after watching her decant a few beakers, followed suit.

Emma grinned.  "Yeah… like that.  Hey, you've already helped more than Harris and his boys have in the last two weeks."

"Why?"

"Oh… right.  Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what climatic influences were acting upon this area and maybe that will tell us something of the evolution…"

"No, why have Harris and his men not been helping you?"

Emma's head jerked up.  "Oh, I didn't say that."

"You quite clearly did, Emma Collier."

"Oh, no.  I didn't mean that.  I was just-"

"Hey doc."  Harris's voice sounded.  Emma's head swung around.

"Good afternoon, Major."  Her voice was quiet.

"Making milkshakes again?"  He asked and picked up one of the beakers.

"Please don't, Major.  That's a very sensitive experiment."  The military man sniffed the beaker and then swirled the contents, re-suspending the material.  Emma grimaced slightly, but looked away.

"Oops."  The major replied, half-heartedly.  "Sorry.  Guess that's why you've got all the letters after your name, and I've just got stripes on my shoulder."  He grinned at Teal'c.  "Probably why she never lets us help."

Emma looked down at her work, moving the funnels around, swirling the more reluctant samples, allowing more of the filter paper to get wet and speeding up the process.  "You've done plenty, Major.  Why don't you take some time off?"  She said lightly.  Harris looked from Teal'c to the doctor and then shrugged.

"Sure, doc.  We'll talk later."  He then turned around and left.

Teal'c waited for him to leave.  "I sense that Major Harris is not happy with his current assignment."

Sighing softly, Emma dumped the contents of the disturbed beaker into a waste bin and noted the time of the termination of the experiment on her data sheets.  Once interfered with, the experiment had to be started from scratch.  Fortunately, he had left all the other ones alone.  "Oh… they get a little stir crazy, Teal'c.  This kind of environment just gives them the heebie jeebies.  They try to fight it by being macho about the whole thing."

"Heebie jeebies?  I was not aware of this condition.  Should we notify the medical team?"

Emma looked up and grinned at him.  "It's an expression.  It means… uh… well."  She frowned and pursed her lips.  "It means it makes them nervous.  They try to hide that fact by over-compensating and becoming aggressive.  Passivity tends to result in overly aggressive tendencies in certain military mindsets."

"I understand."  Teal'c replied dryly.  "Then it was Major Harris who hit you?"

"What?!"  Emma dropped the pipette bulb.  She had been playing with it as she talked, inflating it and pressing the buttons to deflate it.  "I never said that."

Teal'c stepped forward and took hold of her chin, turning her head.  "The bruise on your face conforms to the size and shape of the butt of his gun."

"And about a hundred other things."  Emma frowned.  "Listen, Teal'c, I don't know what you think.  The major's not a bad man, he just needs to get back to familiar surroundings and he's doing that tomorrow morning."

"None of this excuses him hitting you."

"I didn't say he did."

"You also have bruises on the back of your neck, and I clearly saw Major Harris grab you there, and if I am not mistaken, you are favouring one arm."

"Teal'c… have you told anyone else this?"

"I have not."

Emma looked around.  "Then please don't.  I fell down the slope and got a few bumps and bruises.  There's no need to start anything that will only lead to trouble."

"There is a military code of conduct, Emma Collier.  This must be upheld at all times."

"That's nice, but irrelevant here."

"The military code strictly prohibits assaults on civilian personnel."

"Ahh!"  Emma made a frustrated noise and jumped up and down a couple of times.  "Stop it, Teal'c, just stop it."  She smiled.  "I'm fine, just fine.  You're wrong, I'm right.  It's fine, he's fine, we're all fine.  Now, come on… do you want to learn how to sift sediments?  I have a nest of sieves here and I'll show you where the sieving machine is."

Teal'c bowed his head in his unique, Jaffa-like way and followed obediently behind.

- - - - -

Later that evening, SG1 settled down in a circle and chatted.  Harris, Cole and Brandt had stayed up with them for a few hours and then hit the sack.  Cole and Harris would relieve SG1 at the halfway point in the night.  Carter and O'Neill were taking watch and Teal'c stayed up to help Doctor Collier.  He had finally joined his team-mates when the last of the decanting had been completed.  They were reminiscing about their last visit when Carter's nose started to twitch.

"Anyone else smell coffee?"

A small laugh came out of the shadows as Emma Collier came forward, three mugs in her hands.  She handed a mug to Carter and one to O'Neill and kept the last for herself.  She dropped down to the wooden seats and looked at Teal'c.  "You don't drink coffee, right?"

"That is correct, Emma Collier."

Jack and Sam examined their mugs.  Emma was sipping out of one that read, "Geologists are gneiss people… everyone else is schist."

Carter pointed.  "I like that.  Cute."

Emma chuckled.  "It was given to me as a revenge gift."

O'Neill blew on his coffee.  "Revenge?"

Emma pointed to his mug.  O'Neill lifted it up and examined it.  "Anthropologists do it with culture."  He turned the mug around.  "Archaeologists do it until they make history."

Sam laughed out loud at that one.  She lifted her mug up to see if anything witty was written on it.  There was nothing there.  It was a tan mug, the pottery glaze in the shapes of sand dunes.  "Hey… this looks like a mug I gave to Daniel."

Emma cradled her mug for a moment, golden eyes dark and still before she responded.  "It is the mug you gave Daniel.  Colonel O'Neill, you have the mug I gave to Daniel."  She held up her mug.  "And this is the one he gave me."

Carter sat up straighter.  "You knew Daniel?"

Emma smiled fondly.  "Only for about twenty-five years."

SG1 stared at each other.  "How long?"  Carter asked incredulously.

"We were in the same foster home when we were children.  We kept up with each other after that time.  He was the one who recommended me for the SGC."

"Really!"  Sam exchanged looks with the rest of the SGC.

"I-"  Emma made to respond, but was distracted by a noise in the bush.  SG1 got to their feet as well, weapons up.  Jack swore softly as Emma stepped forward, heedless of the potential danger.  He got up, gun at the ready and stepped pointedly in front of her.  She nodded her comprehension and took a step back.  They hung there for a moment until a tall figure stepped out of the undergrowth and into the camp light.  With a delighted sound, Emma stepped around O'Neill and rushed forward.

"Dammit, Collier."  Jack swore, following quickly behind.  He stopped and frowned as Emma threw her arms around the new arrival and got even more concerned when he found that the new arrival was an Unas.  The guns lifted again.

Emma's mouth dropped open a bit when she turned and found two guns and a staff weapon pointed at her.  She stepped in front of the creature and held her hands wide.  "Colonel… it's Chaka.  You remember him, don't you?"

"Doctor… Chaka is on a different planet.  He was taken through the Stargate."

The scientist looked around nervously.  She began to chew her lip.  For a moment, Carter wondered if she had learned that from Daniel, or he from her.  "Yeah.  About that."

"Oh, you didn't."  Jack dropped his gun.  "God dammit."

"Didn't what, sir?"  Carter asked, although she did lower her weapon.

Jack turned away.  "Tell her."  He waved to Emma.

Emma pulled Chaka forward, bringing him to the circle.  "Daniel and I taught Chaka how to use the Stargate… but only between here and the planet with captive Unas.  He doesn't know the Earth co-ordinates, or any of the others."

"Yeah, well… he doesn't have a GDO, does he?"

Emma chewed her lip again.  As Jack started to go critical, she grinned.  "Kidding, Colonel.  No.  He knows not to come near Earth."

Dropping back to the ground, Carter asked,  "Just how much time did Daniel spend here, anyway?"

"Oh… most of his weekends, vacations and downtime in the last year.  Helped him get away from everything, I think."

Further conversation was interrupted by Chaka, who crouched down and gave a gargoyle grin to everyone.  "Oneeelll."  He growled first to the colonel.

"Hey Chaka.  How's it hanging?"  The colonel waved lazily.

The Unas nodded before looking at his companions.  "Kaa-taa…  Teeeek."  He got the words out of his pointed teeth with some difficulty, but was rewarded by first a smile, then a nod.  There was a pause as Chaka looked around.  "Daneeel?"  He asked, looking for his first human friend.

Jack caught the look of pain on the scientist's face at that question.  She looked back at SG1.  "I've only been here for a month.  I haven't been here at all before that since Daniel… passed on.  He doesn't know yet.  This is the first time I've seen him."  Carter and O'Neill shared twin grimaces.  Emma put her hand on Chaka's arm.  "Chaka… Daniel."  She had to pause, eyes filling with tears.  "Chaka.  Daniel… keka."

O'Neill saw the Unas's eyes go wide in surprise and disbelief.  "Ka!"  He exclaimed, shaking his head violently.  "Ka!"

Emma took a firmer grip on his arm.  "Auh."  She grunted the affirmative at him.  "Daniel keka."  Chaka growled out a stream of Unas words, leaving Emma trying to catch up.  "Okay… sokesh… 'kesh' means 'to see'.  'So' means 'far'… I think.  'Sho' is 'come'.  Chaka."  She looked at the Unas, catching his attention.  She put her hands out, palms up like she was asking him to give her something.  Daniel had first used the gesture when Chaka had kidnapped him.  They had adapted it to mean 'I don't understand'.  "Chaka, what is 'sokesh'?"

"Daneeel sokesh.  Emma, Chaka sho."

"Sokesh… with Daniel?  Some kind of ceremony for Daniel?"

Carter watched fascinated.  The conversation sounded so much like the tape Daniel had made of his first encounter with Chaka.  She could almost hear it.  _Is it some kind of moon chant?  The moons coming into alignment?_

"Emma sho."  Chaka grabbed the scientist by the arm and pulled her.  As one, the SG1 members got to their feet.  Talking with a supposedly tame Unas was one thing, having it drag off their civilians was quite something else.

"Chaka.  Ka.  Ka sho, Chaka."  Emma resisted, pulling back.

"Hey.  Hey, now."  Jack spoke up, coming forward.  He got between the two.  "Doc, care to explain?"

"I think he wants to show me something.  He doesn't believe Daniel is dead, or maybe it's some sort of funeral ceremony.  He wants me to come with him."  She looked back to the Unas.  "Chaka Emma ka sho."  She pointed to the horizon with her fist in a ball.  Lifting it, she spread her fingers.  "Tomorrow, Chaka, uh, shem."  She made the sunrise motion again.  "Shem Emma sho.  Daniel sokesh.  Auh?"

Chaka dropped into a crouch.  "Auh.  Shem.  Shem Chaka Emma sho.  Daneeel sokesh.  Daniel ka keka."  Without any further communication, he got up and loped off into the bush.

Emma put her hands on her hips and stared after him.  "Okay… so that was… odd."  Her tone matched Daniel's eerily enough that Carter's head jerked up and she had to force herself not to look around for the anthropologist.

"Emma… I have to say.  You and Daniel are so much alike.  I keep seeing his mannerisms, his words in you."  She decided to articulate her feelings, draw the scientist back into the conversation.

"I also have noticed this."  Teal'c spoke up.

"Huh?"  Emma was still looking into the woods.  "Oh.  Yeah.  Well… we were our own formative influences."  She smiled her lightning quick grin.  "Academics exist in a vacuum at the best of times.  Put two of them together and it's like tossing two black holes in the same system.  Nothing escapes their influence."

"Uh… that made no sense."  Jack put up his hand and commented.

"Blame Daniel for that one then.  I was always the sensible one."  She grinned.

"Oh yeah.  Yeah, I got that impression when I saw you running up and hugging a wild Unas."

"Oh, he's just a big baby.  You should see some of the videos we took."

Sam and Jack exchanged glances.  "Videos?"  Jack asked, shaking his head sideways.

"Just wait."  Emma got up and scrambled off to the lab.  She returned about five minutes later lugging a big scrapbook.  She flipped through a few pages before stepping over the wooden benches and sitting on the ground between Jack and Sam.  "Well… the videos can wait.  This is a scrapbook of some of the photos we took."  She turned back to the beginning.  "And some of the blackmail I used."

Carter leaned in.  "Oh my god.  Is that Daniel?"  She pointed to a picture of a serious looking boy.  He was in what could best be described as 'safari gear', right down to little khaki shorts and a pith helmet.

Emma chuckled.  "That's when he was five, a year before his parents died.  He was in Egypt then."  She pointed to another picture.  "And that picture of beauty was me."   Emma was about four, dressed in what looked like a big ball of pink cotton candy.  Her hair was longer, and stuck up almost perpendicular to her scalp.  Jack tried to smother a laugh, but it didn't work.  Emma slapped him on the shoulder.  "Oh shut up."  She smiled.  "My parents wanted me desperately to be a good, sweet, nice little girl."

"Where'd they go wrong?"  Jack chortled.

"I think I was about seven when they gave up."  Emma flipped the page.  In the picture, she was dressed in jeans and a ripped t-shirt.  Her glasses were askew on her face, tape across the nose bridge.  She was knee deep in mud, holding a shovel and a bucket.  "I think I was making a dam."

"See… it's these kinds of things that warp children.  They should be inside, playing with video games.  Not outside becoming scientists and…"  He paused.  His eyes went from Carter to Emma as he tried to remember the word.  "Geo… mafaluapgus… whatever."

"Geomorphologists."  Sam, Teal'c and Emma replied in unison.

"It's Latin in origin."  Emma tried to explain.  "Geo means 'Earth'.  Morph means 'shape' and the '-logy' ending refers to a science.  So, geology is the study of the earth.  Geography is writing about the earth.  Geomorphology is the study of the shape of the earth.  You can also-"

"Ahh!"  O'Neill gave a soft yell, covering his ears.  "We were looking at photos.  Less chat, more snaps."

Emma moved a piece of paper aside.  "Fine.  Daniel's turn."  She revealed a picture of Daniel aged about eight.  His hair was now longer, past his shoulders and poker straight.  He was dressed up in a suit typical of the early seventies; wide bell-bottom pants, wide lapel collar, all in industrial brown with a lime green shirt.

"Oh… Daniel.  You poor child."  Sam covered her mouth to hide the grin.

Emma smiled fondly.  "Now you know the true horrors of the foster care system."  She turned the page.  "This was our first day together."  The picture she showed was Emma and Daniel sitting side by side.  They were leaning over a book, foreheads touching at the temple, almost cheek to cheek.  It was a big picture book of Egyptian mummies and artifacts.  Daniel was pointing to the death mask of King Tut, Emma to a cat mummy.

_See this… it's the mask they put over King Tut's head when they buried him in the sarcophagus._

_Wow.  That's cool._

_It's solid gold._

_That must be heavy.  What are the blue stones?_

_Lap-  Lap-  I can't remember._

_Lapis lazuli?  I have some of that in my rock collection.  My mom gave me a ring with lapis in it._

_Can I see it later?_

_Sure.  What's that one?  It looks like a cat._

_It was a cat.  They made mummies out of cats too.  They were sacred._

_Ewww,,,_

Emma pulled herself out of the memory, shaking her head slightly.  For the next picture, someone had obviously succeeded in getting their attention.  The two were looking up at the camera, blinking owlishly behind the lenses of their glasses.  Sam felt a lump rise in her throat.  They looked so lost, holding on to the book and each other like an island in a storm.

"How soon…?"  She began, pointing to the picture.

"Ah… that was about two weeks after my parents' deaths.  We stayed at that home for another three months."

They roamed through the first pages of the scrapbook over the next twenty minutes.  Emma and Daniel grew from small, shy children into tall, bookish students.  Braces, new glasses, more bad hair-dos and a wide variety of hand-me-down clothing.  Daniel's graduation from high school just shy of his 16th birthday, huddling amongst all the jocks and popular students.  Emma didn't bother going to her graduation.  She had already left to live in residence at the university, taking prep courses.  They were solemn and sober children.

Jack flipped the page over and found a picture of the duo aged about seventeen.  "Ah, here's when we met up again in university.  We lost track of each other when we were fifteen.  We both switched foster homes at the same time, and never got the other one's forwarding address.  It was about a year and a half later that I was in second year university."  She watched as they did the mental math, calculating ages and she grinned.  "I started early.  I had to take some first year arts course to satisfy my arts requirement of my science degree.  It didn't matter what… basket weaving would have done it.  I decided to take some course in ancient history.  Daniel had filled so many of his letters with cuneiform script and Egyptian hieroglyphics that I figured it would be a snap.  Guess who was the assistant?"

"Teacher's pet even then."  Jack grinned.

"It's amazing that you two happened to go to the same university."  Sam stated.  The picture was taken in the early eighties.  Fortunately, both Daniel and Emma had outgrown the urge to fit in with the fashions of the time.  Both wore jeans, t-shirts and plain work shirts.  Daniel had the bowl-cut variant hair-do that he had for the first few years he worked with SG1.  Emma's hair was long, braided and out of her way.

"Not so amazing."  Emma replied.  "We'd talked about university for years.  We both liked that one.  I had to decide between three, and I figured there was a shot at meeting up with Daniel if I went there, so…"  She shrugged.  "That's where I went."

"He had a great smile."  Sam whispered.  For the first time in any of the photos, both Daniel and Emma were grinning broadly.

"Chubby cheeks."  Emma said fondly.

More pictures followed.  Some newspaper articles, some club notices.  Pictures at graduation, first with bachelor degrees, then masters and finally doctorates.  Medal ceremonies, speeches and finally Daniel's presentation on the theory of cross-pollination of ancient cultures.  It was the speech that would ultimately result in the formation of the entire SGC program and Daniel's academic disgrace.

"You heard about his lecture?"

"I was there!"  She nodded.  "It actually seemed plausible to me.  Of course, I had been hearing this theory for so many years that I knew it almost as well as he did.  When he gave the presentation, a scientist I brought made some dumb remarks.  I followed him in to the hall to give him a piece of my mind.  I didn't even consider what Daniel must have felt being left there all alone.  He just walked away and disappeared.  I was petrified that he had gone off the deep end.  All I had was a postcard that said he would prove his theory right."

"My god, you were there."  Jack whispered.  Daniel leaned over in the photograph, talking to an audience member.  Her hair was cut short then, immediately recognisable as Emma Collier.

"Uh… Emma, I don't know how to ask you… but were you and Daniel…?"  Sam waved her hands.

"We were friends.  Tell you the truth, at that time, it seemed a little incestuous to think of him any other way.  We were almost like halves of the whole, but not in a romantic sense."  She grinned.  "I can't tell you how many nights I listened to him gripe about his girlfriends… and I guess I whined a fair bit about my boyfriends.  I think, in fact, that I was the reason he broke up with Sarah.  She thought we were more than friends because we spent so much time together.  Not many people could understand our friendship."  She shook her head.  "I guess we were a bit stuck in our ways.  For, well, almost twenty years, we were the only things we could count on."

The next page had nothing attached to it, just a stack of type-written letters unfolded carefully between the pages.  "My attempts to find Daniel after the Abydos mission."  The letters were all polite, but full of empty promises, empty assurances.  "It was lonely without him.  We had always written to each other, or talked on the phone.  When we weren't together, we wrote volumes.  Two letters a week, every week for years.  I don't know about Daniel, but it kept me sane… some days…"  Her voice trailed off.  Emma ducked her head.  "Yeah.  Anyway, I was frantic, looking for him everywhere."

 "When did you hear from him again?"  Teal'c finally spoke up.

Emma looked at the sky, contemplating.  "I guess it was a day or two after his return.  He sent me a… let's see… 22 page letter.  He told me everything about Abydos."  She looked down.  "Well… everything he could.  I figured he'd been on some remote dig and met and married a local woman.  It sounded like she'd been abducted by some religious cult or some such thing.  He said nothing about the Stargate or anything about what he was doing.  I think the military probably censored his letters so he was careful.  We picked up pretty much where we left off."

"Wow."  Carter said softly.  "To be honest, he never mentioned you."

Shrugging, the scientist replied.  "I'm not surprised.  I don't think Daniel talked much about his past to anyone.  I'm sorry, I usually don't just babble out all of my feelings like this, but Daniel talked about you for so long, I feel almost like I know you.  I've missed having someone to talk to like this.  I guess, in some ways, keeping me so far removed from his life allowed him to speak a little more honestly about his feelings."  She shrugged again.  "Anyway, just over three years ago, I got a call from a General Hammond.  He wanted to interview me about a job.  I wrote to Daniel about it, and he said that he was the one who had given the general my name, and that I should take the job.  I guess the general liked what he saw, because he offered me a position with the SGC."

"And the rest is history."  Jack smiled.  They all chuckled, save Teal'c who simply lifted an eyebrow.

"When exactly did you join?"

"Ah, let's see.  You were recovering from the effects of the Goa'uld killing device, Machello's little toy."  Her eyes turned dark again.  "That was pretty hard on Daniel.  And, of course, just after he started getting over that, Sha're was killed." 

Nobody knew quite what to say to that.  Jack flipped past this to the next page.  Again, there was nothing attached to the pages, but a thick envelope was tucked in the book.  Sam picked it up.  "May I?"  She asked.  Emma nodded.

"It's the letter he wrote me after he returned from Abydos and joined the Stargate program."  Sam pulled the pages out of the envelope and gasped.  She recognised Daniel's writing instantly, but the letter was incomprehensible to her.  For starters, it was made up of at least four languages, including hieroglyphics and cuneiform as well as… she flipped through the pages… English, French, Spanish and something that looked like Chinese or Japanese.

"You actually read this?"

Emma laughed.  "You know Daniel and languages.  I only speak nine or so.  I could never keep up with him."  Behind her head, Jack mouthed 'Nine?' at Sam, who ducked her head to hide the smile.  "When we were kids, one of my foster parents read my letters.  After that, we started writing in code.  It's not actually Sumerian, it's just the alphabet used phonetically.  It you sound it out, it's just in English.  It became like a game to us.  When he learned new languages, he'd include little study sheets with his letters.  Gradually, I got better at them.  Most times, we try to include at least three alphabets and six languages in our letters.  Keeps the mind sharp."

"Yeah… I could see why you two needed that."  Jack muttered.  "So, let me get this straight… the military censored _this_?"

Sam flipped through the letter.  Here and there we pictures scattered in amongst the letters.  Sketches of places and people.  Daniel was no artist, but Jack could identify the market of Abydos, Skaara and even Sha're.  He pointed to the picture of Sha're.  "What'd this say?"

Emma craned her neck.  "Ah… let's see."  She ran her finger down the letter.  "He writes, 'You'll never believe it, Emma, but I got married.  Her name is Sha're.  She was actually given to me as a gift.  Yeah, I know, don't you hate it when that happens?  Don't give me that look.  I was a gentleman the whole time.  It's just… she makes my thoughts light up.  I wait for her to enter a room, and I can sense her coming like a flower's fragrance in the night air.  I never thought I could feel so at peace.  I think I found my home, my life.  I wish you could share it with me…'."  Emma flipped the pages over, scanning what looked like chicken scratch to find a new part.

She paused and began again.  "…'And then everything went to hell.  Sha're was taken from me.  Gone with the creatures that inhabit this land.  They have taken my peace from me.  I came back to try to find a way to find her, to help her.  I can't tell you what it did to me to see her looking down at me without any hint of love or recognition in her eyes.  I feel so cold…'."

"Oh, god."  Sam whispered.  

Emma picked up another page.  "…'I've met some new people, Emma.  You'd like them.  Well… I think you'd have to get used to them first.  It took me a bit of time, but they're really something special, I think.  We're working together now to try to get Sha're back.  Jack is the leader.  He's a military man from way back, you know, the kind they make in the movies.  I thought he hated me at first.  He looked at me like he was looking right through me.  Now, I understand him a little better.  He thinks I'm a geek.  I guess he thought that his hard shell would keep out the hurt.  We know how well that works, don't we?  He's a good man.  I think he's honest and it scares me to think how loyal and true he is.  I just don't think he knows how to give up on someone'."  Emma paused and pointed.  "He used hieroglyphics for your names.  You see this one?  That's yours, Jack.  It means 'safety'.  That's what you represented to him."  Jack ducked his head, a burning feeling welling up in his eyes.

Emma continued.  "…'Sam Carter reminds me of you, Emma.  Bright, open, honest.  She has a great way with Jack, deflecting the worst of his moods and keeping everything on track.  She's incredibly smart.  I love listening to her talk, she brings a passion back to this search.  Keeps me from losing myself in self-pity'."  Emma pointed out a symbol to Sam.  "That's yours.  It's the symbol for 'light'."

"Oh, Daniel."  Sam whispered.

"…'And finally, Teal'c.  He's a dichotomy to me.  He was once one of the people who took Sha're from me, but now I see him for so much more than he was.  He represents potential to me.  He is a moment of calm in a crazy scenario.  When I think of everything that I do, all that I've seen, I think sometimes that I'm going mad.  All I have to do is look at Teal'c and I feel a kindred spirit.  I can regain that little bit of me that slipped away'."  Emma looked up at the Jaffa.  "Can you guess what glyph he used for you?"

Teal'c considered a moment before replying.  "I assume, Emma Collier, that he used the literal definition of my name… 'strength'."

Emma smiled and held out the letter.  Teal'c's face registered a moment of very mild surprise.

"What?"  Jack looked between them.  "What did you get?"

"Apparently Daniel Jackson chose to use the word 'Peace' as my designation."

Jack gave Teal'c a light punch in the arm.  "Yeah.  Space-monkey called it."  Emma folded up the letter and Jack made little motions with his fingers.  "Come on, Emma.  Gimme more.  Let's see some of those pictures."

The pictures picked up as Emma joined the SGC.  The first photo was a pale and wan Daniel, done in black and white.  He was leaning his elbows on a table, chin cushioned on his forearms.  It must have been shortly after his misadventures in the psych ward, thanks to Machello's device.  He had lost weight, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Okay… this is not fun.  Let's look at some fun stuff."  She took the book and flipped a handful of pages forward.  Jack made a move like he would stop her, but relented and let her go on.  "Some of the stuff from the last year before… before…  Well.  Let's see."

She flipped open the pages to a picture of herself and Daniel.  He was leaning against a cave wall, with her resting her back against his chest.  They were lit by firelight and appeared to be in a cave.  Emma looked like she was speaking to someone, pointing at the camera.  Daniel had his chin resting in the crook of her shoulder, by her neck.  His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping.  

"That's a great picture."  Sam said.  "Who took it?"

Emma chuckled.  "Chaka did."

"You know, you two are spoiling the big lug."  Jack said, shaking his head.  "When are you going to teach him how to drive?"  For a moment, he slipped into the present tense, forgetting that Daniel wouldn't be teaching Chaka anything again.

Emma let it pass, happy enough in her memories.  "Colonel O'Neill, it is a valuable cross-cultural activity…"

"Ahh!"  O'Neill cut her off.  "Less chat, more snaps.  And for God's sake, call me Jack."

The scientist smiled.  "It's an honour.  Please, all of you, call me Emma."

The photos that followed seemed to be in a series.  They were in the cave, Emma was getting up, reaching for the camera.  She and Daniel appeared to be good-naturedly arguing about something.  "What's going on here?"  Jack asked.

Emma's eyes unfocused slightly as she recalled the moment and tried to explain it to Daniel's friends.

_"Daniel.  Daniel wake up.  Chaka's got the camera."_

_His arms tightened around her waist.  "He's fine.  Let him play.  I'm finally getting warm."_

_"Teach you not to bring a raincoat with you.  I should make you suffer."_

_He buried his chin against her shoulder.  "You know I'd just end up getting sick and then you'd have to look after me."_

_She snorted.  "So, no change there."  Emma reached out to the Unas.  "Chaka… give me the camera."  Daniel's arms gripped her tightly, not letting her up.  She squirmed uselessly.  "Come on, Jackson.  What's the Unas word for 'give'."  Daniel kept his eyes closed, pretending to sleep.  Finally, she slipped her cold hands behind her, lifted up Daniel's shirt and slapped her palms to his ribs.  He yelped and let her go.  All the while, the camera's flash went off at regular intervals._

_She crawled to her feet.  Daniel muttered behind her,  "Oh… you're going to pay for that, Emma."_

_She ignored him, reaching for the camera.  Chaka, liking this game, skittered away and took her picture, the flash blinding her momentarily.  She put her palms to her eyes with a groan.  The cave was lit only by a small fire.  The flash's intensity was staggering.  "Chaka… give.  Daniel, what's the word for give?"_

_Daniel spoke from behind her.  "Hesh."_

_"Okay, Chaka… hesh."  She took a step forward.  The Unas gave a little chuckle and bolted.  Emma's mouth dropped open.  "Okay… what did I just say?"  Daniel chortled evilly behind her.  She whirled to face the anthropologist.  "What did I say?"_

_He stopped laughing and tried to look innocent.  "Did I say 'hesh'?  Oh, my.  I think that's the Unas word for 'run'.  Oh dear."  He yipped as she clocked him on the head with a field book.  Picking up a flashlight, she started to go after Chaka._

_"He'll be back when he gets bored, Emma."_

_"Yeah… after he breaks a thousand dollar camera."_

_"Ah, so they get you a new one."_

_"Maybe that's the way you work in SG units, but that comes out of my operating budget, Mister I-break-it-you-buy-it."_

_"Oooh… scary.  Intergalactic penny pinching."_

_Emma grinned evilly.  "How about this?  You get that camera back or my cold hands wake you every thirty minutes from now until you leave."_

_Daniel rolled to his feet.  "So… uh, how 'bout we find Chaka?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Yeah."_

_It took fifteen minutes of stumbling around in the caves before they managed to track the giggling Unas.  Emma flanked him one side while Daniel came up on the other.  Daniel called out to him._

_"Chaka!"  The big beast growled at him.  Daniel shook his head.  "Chaka.  Nan… ka… nan… ka."  Daniel pointed from himself to Chaka as he repeated the words.  The Unas looked at him for a moment, confused.  _

_"Ka nan."  He held up the camera._

_Daniel shook his head again, pointing at Emma, trying to get closer and then pointing first to himself and then Chaka several times.  "Nan… ka… nan… ka."  Grinning, the Unas understood.  He let Emma get close before lightly tossing the camera over her head to a waiting Daniel._

_"Nan!"  Emma whirled around, expecting to hear a crash, but saw Daniel holding the camera instead.  She smiled in relief.  Her look turned to horror as Daniel threw the camera over her head back at the Unas._

_"Ka!"  He started grinning madly.  As Emma lunged for the camera, Chaka picked it out of the air and threw it back to Daniel._

_"Nan!"_

_"Ka."_

_It took the second repetition to make Emma see that she was caught in a particularly juvenile form of monkey in the middle as they recreated their food fight from their first meeting.   Despite that, she couldn't take the chance that one of them would miss, and lunged for the equipment every time._

_Finally, she had enough.  As Daniel caught the camera, she pounced, grabbing him around the waist and sending both of them tumbling.  She collected her wits better than he did and straddled him, resting all of her weight on his stomach.  Grabbing the camera, she took a picture as he tried, red-faced, to get away._

_"Baka yarou."  She chided him softly in Japanese.  She cried out as a pair of strong arms circled her, pinning her hands to her chest and lifting her bodily off of Daniel.  The man got to his feet, wheezing slightly._

_"Good Chaka.  Hold her."  He plucked the camera from her and took a picture as she swore vehemently back at him.  "Emma, Emma, Emma.  Such language."  He put the camera down.  "Uhhh… you know, I think you need to be punished."_

_Emma stiffened.  "Don't you dare.  Daniel Jackson, don't you dare."  Daniel smiled blandly and told Chaka to hold tight.  He came at them from the side, to avoid her flailing legs.  He ducked and grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt, pulling it up to reveal the pale skin of her stomach.  Emma's frustrated growl turned into a high-pitched squeal as he put his mouth to her skin and gave her a loud raspberry on the belly.  Startled by the noise, Chaka dumped her unceremoniously on the ground.  She fell with Daniel on top this time.  Before she could respond, he gave her a second raspberry on the neck while she howled in outrage.  They broke apart, giggling to see a concerned looking Chaka staring at them.  He relaxed when he saw them laughing.  Emma took advantage of the lull to tell him, in Unas, to grab Daniel._

_The archaeologist yelled as Chaka complied.  Emma grinned darkly as she stood up.  In her best evil villain accent she intoned.  "Now, Doctor Jackson… you will pay."  She tugged his t-shirt up and put both cold hands flat on his stomach.  Mouthing his denials, he hitched and twitched in Chaka's arms, trying to get away.  She moved her hands around, warming them up on his goose-bumped skin._

_Finally, he shivered at her,  "I knew you couldn't keep your hands off me.  Many women have that problem.  It's a curse."  He bit off his words as she crooked her fingers and started to tickle him.  She paused again and flattened her hands on his back, making him arch forward.  "Nice… very nice."  He tried to sound calm as he gasped for air.  "How about a kiss, since we're already being so intimate."  He giggled as she ran her fingernails over his already sensitive skin._

_"Oh, I would."  Emma replied blandly.  "But Monkey-See-Monkey-Do behind you might want to try one too."_

_"Umm.. that's alright.  I wouldn't mind watching."_

_"Oh, I think I'd leave it up to you to teach him."_

_"Tempting… very tempting.  Have you seen what he eats?"_

_"Yes.  Mother always said, 'lips that touch Unas shall never touch mine'."_

_"Very wise.  So… no point in asking you to kiss my Unas then, huh?"_

_Emma lifted an eyebrow.  "Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"  She was rewarded as he blushed from the tip of his hair down to his toes.  She laughed and then backed up until she got the camera.  "Smile!"  _

Jack chuckled as a fairly rumpled Daniel hung from Chaka's strong arms.  Emma had left out some of the more risqué dialogue, but the story had amused Daniel's friends nonetheless.

"I can't remember the last time I saw him with his guard down like that… or just smiling."

Emma touched Daniel's picture with her fingertips.  "With everything that happened, he just started, I don't know, collapsing in on himself."

Everyone looked down, remembering that dark time.  "We tried to get him to talk to us."  Carter said, tracing a finger around the rim of her mug.

"I think… I think after Sha're died he lost some of his sparkle.  He just didn't look at things the same way again.  It grew harder and harder for him.  Daniel has always believed in the basic goodness of people.  More and more, that was stripped away from him.  Consider everything he's been through in his life.  All that's kept him going is this basic belief in the goodness of people and his thirst for exploration.  Then look at his missions.  Little by little, his hope was chipped away.  I've noticed it myself.  In the last three years, the missions have become less and less about scientific exploration, and more and more about strategic planning.  I'm here to research the Goa'uld not for the sake of the Goa'uld, but in the hopes that we can find something to use against them.  It wears you out at times."

Nobody knew what to say about that.  Finally, Emma continued.  "Something happened to him just before he… died.  He went on a mission for the Tok'ra.  He did something, or was supposed to do something.  It's the only thing he ever kept from me.  I don't know what he was supposed to do, but when he came back he seemed… broken inside.  Something happened that just sloughed off the last little bit of his happiness."

Jack said nothing for a moment, staring into the black depths of his cup before softly whispering, "Dammit, Daniel."  He shut his eyes tight.

"After that, he kind of gave up."  She looked up.  "He never gave up on you, you know that, right?  He loved you to the end.  I have a letter he wrote to me as he lay dying.  All he talked about was how it would affect you.  You were his reason to stay, but in the end, some greater hope made him let go.  I think he felt like he could get some of the old feeling back.  He could help you, make a difference."

"He was making a difference!"  Jack snapped, putting his mug down.  "He made a difference to all of us, and none of us could tell him why.  Maybe if we could have…"

"He wouldn't have stayed, Jack."

"Yeah.  I just wish he had held on a little longer."  The older man replied, rubbing his face with his palm but unable to say more.

Emma touched his shoulder.  "He loved you so much, loved everything so much, that he left to regain that part of himself that went missing.  I think he felt that if he got that enthusiasm back, that he could be of use to everyone, and make himself happier in the bargain."

"I don't buy it."  Jack said.

"Emma… where were you… then?"  Carter asked.  Emma looked down at the pictures, and then squinted out at the brush.

"I was in the field.  When I first started with the SGC, I used to be with SG9.  Then, I was… reassigned to long term status.  Something like this.  I get sent to an area to conduct long term research in out of the way places.  I stay in situ while the work crews around me change.  It's difficult to find people to do this kind of work.  I didn't have any friends or family… aside from Daniel, so I had nothing to miss if I'm away from Earth for months at a time.  I was on a three month mission when Daniel was hurt.  We were a two-week walk from the gate studying a possible source of naquadah.  By the time I got the news…"  She hung her head.

Sam looked at the pictures of Daniel smiling and laughing and contemplated their existences.  Both Emma and Daniel had left their world; Daniel for Abydos and Emma for long term studies.  A whole planet, billions of people, wonders galore and neither of them felt that it had anything to offer them.  It was a profound sense of distance, and it gave her a new appreciation for the loneliness they must have endured.

Wanting to move on, Emma flipped the pages.  The remainder of the photos looked like more studious endeavours.  Pictures of Daniel and Emma on digs, in the lab or chipping away at hillsides.  They sat quietly for another forty minutes, looking at the images.  Every so often, Emma would explain a scene or someone would ask a question but they mostly just absorbed the sight of their friend looking happier and more content than they had seen in years.

Finally, she shut the book and yawned.  "Well folks, I don't know about you, but SG9 should be up to take over soon, and I'm exhausted.  Think I'm going to hit the hay."

Jack stretched while Carter rolled her neck.  "Sounds good to me."  She said.  Teal'c rose to his feet and held out a hand to Emma.

She took it, smiling and allowed herself to be pulled upright.  Teal'c contemplated her for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Emma Collier.  I enjoyed your pictures of Daniel Jackson."

Jack and Sam murmured similar words.  Emma shook her head and hugged the book to her chest.  "Oh no, my pleasure, really.  Sometimes I miss him so much.  It helps to share it with people he loved."

"I'll be along in a few minutes, Emma, if you want to get to bed."  Carter said.  She had to wait for SG9 to arrive before her watch was officially over.  

Emma nodded and waved, returning across the darkened field to her lab.  She had taken one step in the door when a rough hand grabbed her from behind, one hand around her mouth, the other around her waist.  She was so surprised that she dropped the album, its pages slipping open to the black and white picture of Daniel.

"Finished whining about lover-boy, doc?"  Harris snarled at her shoulder, his palm digging in to the bruise on her cheek, nails carving furrows in the other cheek.  He looked down at the book with disgust.  "Daniel this, Daniel that."  Deliberately, he placed his big boot across the picture, smearing mud and obliterating Daniel's face.  Emma made an outraged noise in the back of her throat.  "Jackson was a waste of skin while he was alive, and a waste of time now that he's dead."  He leaned in closer.  "I'm the only one you need to worry about now."  He dragged her out of the tent and into the night air.

- - - - -

Ten minutes later, Carter entered the tent.  Brandt and Cole had taken over SG1's watch.  She thought Harris was supposed to have been there, but his team-mates said that he had switched with them.  As she walked sleepily into the lab, she nearly fell over as she tripped on something.  She frowned as she realised that it was the photo album.  She looked around.

"Emma?"  She checked the scientist's bed.  Nothing.  Nobody in the lab either.  She picked up the book and gasped as she turned the pages.

Quickly, she ran out to the tents.  She crouched by O'Neill's.  "Sir?"  She said, throwing a bucket of anxiety in to that one little word.  "Sir, we have a problem."

O'Neill stuck his head out of the tent flap.  "What?"

"Sir, Emma's not in the lab tent, and I found this on the floor."  She held the book under the flashlight's beam.  "I'm worried she might have been taken."

"What!"  O'Neill barked again.  He began grumbling as he got up.  "Damn that Unas.  He couldn't wait until morning."

"Sir, I don't think Chaka did this."

"Why not?"  Teal'c rumbled.  He had been in the next tent and had heard Carter's concerns.

Carter flipped open the book to Daniel's picture and the large, muddy footprint across it.  "Because Unas don't wear regulation size twelve field boots… and correct me if I'm wrong, but neither did Emma."

O'Neill looked over into the night.  "Cole and Brandt were on watch."

"That only leaves Harris, sir.  They wouldn't have had time to do anything to her."

"I believe that Major Harris has physically assaulted Emma Collier on several occasions."  Teal'c put in.

"What!"  O'Neill turned to him.

"She was showing signs of injury to her arm and neck, as well as the visible injury to her face.  When we spoke of it, she seemed reluctant to discuss it and requested that I not speak of it to anyone."

"What the hell…?"  O'Neill swore.  "Dammit.  Teal'c, for the record, if you suspect that someone is hurting someone else, you let me know.  That's an order."

"Of course, O'Neill."  The Jaffa bowed his head.

"Alright.  Teal, you see if you can track Emma and Harris.  Carter, you watch our six."  They checked their weapons.  "Remember, we could be going after a Goa'uld here."

"Emma."  Carter whispered.

- - - - -

The geomorphologist in question twisted and turned in Harris's grasp, trying to get away, or at least be allowed to breathe properly.  She dug her boot heels in, trying to leave a path for the others to follow.  She had no hope that SG9 would help, but perhaps Major Carter would notice a problem.

Abruptly, Harris dropped his hands.  Before Emma could bolt or cry out, she felt the cool kiss of metal the back of her neck.

"You move or yell and I blow your head off."  
"You'd never get away with it."

"Oh yeah?"  Harris laughed and then mocked her in a high-pitched.  "Oh, Colonel O'Neill… it was so frightening.  Her eyes glowed and I thought she was going to kill me.  I had no choice but to shoot.  Boo hoo." 

"That only works until the autopsy."  She said coldly.  She turned until she was partially facing him.  He moved so quickly that she didn't even see the gun move, she only felt it impact her face, splitting open her chin and lip.

"It doesn't have to come to that, Emma."  He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back as she tried vainly to curl up into a ball.  "You know this is right.  You know we were meant to be.  All these years of denying me what is rightfully mine."

"Pathetic."  She spat blood at him.  "Is this the only way you can get a woman?"

Rage clouded his face and he drew back his hand for another strike.  Emma ducked her head as his hand dropped… and then she was no longer there.  What stood in her place was over 250 pounds of snarling Unas.  Harris barely had time to register it before he was flying through the air, his arm broken by the creature's punch.

"Emma ka keka!"  Chaka howled, fangs bared.

Emma rolled to her knees, much faster than her aching head wanted.  She groaned but crawled forward, getting between Chaka and the fallen soldier.  She put her hands out, ducking her head in case the Unas forgot who his friends were.  "Chaka, ka!  Ka!"

He pulled up, but kept snarling at Harris as the man pulled himself out of the bushes.

- - - - -

Teal'c led SG1 as they followed Emma's trail.  They were jogging, able to track her even though they had only a flashlight for illumination.  Her boot heels had torn up the ground and broken branches in a clear line.  With only a ten minute lead and a struggling victim, Jack knew they should be right on top of Emma and Harris.  That theory was sickeningly confirmed as two gunshots rang out almost beside them, and a very human voice cried out in pain.

"God."  Jack whispered, tearing through a thin layer of brush.  The team crashed into a clearing.  The full moons above lit up the land and SG1 were able to drop their flashlights and scan with their guns.

Harris stood at one side of the clearing, one arm twisted grotesquely, the other holding a handgun.  He was aiming at Emma, on her knees on the ground.  She had one arm out, trying in vain to ward off the impending barrage of bullets.  The other arm hung limp at her side, a dark stain spreading across her fatigues.  Chaka sat on the ground behind her, his leg positioned awkwardly.  The second bullet had taken him high in the thigh, passing through muscle but missing the arteries.  Harris's head swung around as he beheld SG1 coming to the rescue.

"She's a Goa'uld… they both are!"  He yelled.  "They ambushed me!"

"No!"  Emma yelled, struggling to her knees.  She held her arm up, shielding Chaka from both Harris and SG1.  "God, no!  Please…"

"Sir?"  Carter asked.  "I can't sense the Goa'uld here.  What do we do?"

"Put the gun down, Harris."  Jack's voice rang out.  Carter's and Teal'c's weapons trained on the major.

"What?!  Sir, that's a Goa'uld!"

"I don't think so.  Put the gun down."

"Colonel…"

"Major."  Jack emphasised the word.  "That's an order."

The major wavered, finally lowering his weapon.  Teal'c moved forward, dropping to his knee by Emma.  None of the three seriously believed Emma and Chaka were affected, but they remained on their guard.

"Emma Collier, are you well?"

Teal'c touched the woman's face.  She hissed through bloody teeth as she lifted her head.  Behind her, Chaka stirred.  Emma grated out, "I'm fine."  Her lips was swelling badly, distorting her words.  Teal'c touched her arm.  The bullet had gone in, but was still within her arm, probably had impacted the bone.  The Jaffa touched her shoulder and then stood, striding over to Harris.

"Why have you done this?"

"I told you, she is a Goa'uld."

"I do not believe that, and I do not think you believe it either."

Harris looked distraught.  "Hey… listen.  You don't know anything about this!"  The anger flared up again and he started screaming.  "Tell him, Emma.  Tell him how much I love you.  Tell him!"  The scientist turned away.  "Emma!  We were meant to be together!  You know this!"

Carter took a firmer grip on her gun, looking at Harris.  She muttered to Jack, "Well… I think I know why Emma left SG9."

Teal'c stood, staff at the ready as the remaining two members of SG9 ran into the clearing.  They automatically trained their guns on Emma and Chaka.

"Gang's all here."  Jack said dryly.  "SG9, guns down!"  He yelled.  "That's an order!"

The guns dipped, but something was clearly wrong and the soldiers did not completely relax.  Beside Teal'c, Harris was still screaming for Emma as the scientist struggled to her feet.  Chaka struggled to get to one knee, gripping Emma by the hips to steady them both.  He hissed at her.  She turned to him, eyes wide and they conversed in the Unas language rapidly.

Jack and Carter walked in to the clearing.  They had their guns up, but were not aiming directly at anyone.  Everyone jumped as Emma spoke out.

"Jack… I know this seems like it just can't possibly get any worse…"

"How bad, Emma?"  He asked.

"Chaka says that he can sense a Goa'uld.  Someone's infected."

The soldiers reacted like they had been hit with an electric shock.  Weapons rose instantly.  Even Harris grabbed for his handgun.  He swallowed heavily as the powered up end of a staff weapon sizzled inches from his chest and put the gun up slightly.  Carter and O'Neill trained their weapons on Brandt and Cole, while the two late arrivals split their attention between Jack and Carter and Emma and Chaka.

"It can't be SG1, they just arrived and Chaka would have sensed it at the fire."  Emma's voice was getting quiet as the shock set it.  "Same with Harris.  It has to be…"

Teal'c, Jack, Carter and Harris swung around to face Cole and Brandt.  It was a fraction of a second too late.  Cole screamed and shot Brandt in the face before taking aim at the ones who had exposed him.  Carter yelled as Emma's body arched backward, slumping into Chaka's arms.  Cole spun, raking Teal'c and Harris's position with machine gun fire before he dropped as Carter and O'Neill shot him.  Everything went silent.  Guns still at the ready, the soldiers crawled forward, checking on fallen.

Teal'c had gunshots in his arms and one in his side.  He waved them off, assuring them that his symbiote would take care of him.  Harris was dead, two bullets catching him in the chest.  Brandt was also dead, shot in the head.  SG1 ran to the centre of the clearing to help Chaka and Emma.

"What the hell…?"  Jack swore.  Their flashlights raked over the grass.  There was green blood, and a frightening amount of red blood, but no bodies.  Chaka and Emma had vanished.

- - - - -

The Unas panted harshly as he ran through the bush, pushing his wounded leg as fast as it could go.  He was losing blood and would have to stop soon, but for now, he had to get away from the soldiers with guns, away from the fighting and away from the pain.  Emma was limp in his arms.  He could not tell how badly she was hurt, but it did not look good to Chaka.  She had taken a bullet near her shoulder, high in her chest.  Another had hit her in the abdomen.  She was unconscious and having trouble breathing.

"Emma… ka keka.  Ka keka.  Daneeel sokesh.  Ka keka."  He murmured it like a mantra as he ran.

- - - - -

"Dammit!"  Jack thundered, spinning around.  Everything had gone to hell in very short order.  SG9 were dead, their civilian was missing, their 'pet' Unas was the wounded culprit and Teal'c had also been shot.  Hammond was going to skin them all.  "Carter… what the hell just happened here?"  He grated.

"I'd say everything went to hell, sir."  His second in command said, checking on Teal'c's injuries.

"I am fine."  The big man said.  "I do not believe Emma Collier will survive long without assistance.  We should follow her immediately."  He got to his feet slowly.

"Yeah.  Yeah."  Jack said, adjusting his hat.  "Okay, Teal'c, you head back to the gate and go see the doctor.  Carter and I will follow Chaka."

"I cannot do that, O'Neill."  Teal'c said, pulling his jacket back on.  "You will need my assistance to track the Unas and Emma Collier in the dark.  I suspect Chaka carried her, which means her trail will be quite difficult to pick up.  The Unas is a skilled woodland creature and will not leave many signs of its passing."

"Dammit, Teal'c.  You're wounded."

"I will be fine, O'Neill.  Emma Collier is the one for whom we need to search.  She cannot wait for us to argue about this."

"Sir, Teal'c's right.  His wounds are serious, but he should be fine.  Emma took at least one gut shot."

Jack frowned, not wanting to put more of his team in harm's way.  "Are you sure, Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

Jack indulged in one last pause.  "Alright.  Teal'c, take point.  Carter, I've got your six.  Let's find them."

They were able to follow the faint splashes of blood to the edge of the clearing, after that, their pace slowed as the trail was hidden by the undergrowth.

- - - - -

Chaka kept running.  He knew that he had put a fair bit of distance between himself and the humans.  He crouched for a moment and touched Emma's bloody face.  Perhaps he should have stayed.  The good humans could have cared for her.  No.  The young Unas's face hardened.  He had left Daniel with them, and now Emma tried to make him believe that Daniel was hurt… Daniel was dead.  No.  Emma and Daniel were family, part of the tribe and it was the leader's job to protect his pack-mates.  Gathering up Emma's body, he continued on.

- - - - -

"Well, where would they go?"  SG1 was moving a little faster than a walk, but not much.  They frequently had to stop and find the track again.  Jack was getting increasingly worried that often the only track they could find was blood, either Emma's or Chaka's.

"Well, sir, there are a few options."  Carter replied.  They had lost the trail, so they were turning in circles, sweeping the ground with their lights, looking for blood.  "Chaka could have taken her back to his cave.  That's probably the most likely course."

"Good.  Do you think you could find it again?"

"The cave, sir?  I think it's on the map."

"Alright.  Where else?"

"Well… there's the Stargate."

"I don't want to think about that one.  Besides, Emma said they could only go to the world where the Unas were prisoners."

"They could have a resistance cell there.  Perhaps an off world base."

"Off world base, Carter?"  Jack said incredulously.  "These are Unas we're talking about."

"Yes, sir.  I know.  However, you have to admit that Emma and Daniel's interactions with them have certainly sped up their learning processes.  Chaka has learned how to use the gate, and he did stay behind to fight for the freedom of the slave Unas.  It's only logical to think that they might have become more organized."

"O'Neill!"  Teal'c called.  "I have found the trail."

"Great."  Jack breathed.  "Let's get on with this.  Anywhere else, Carter?"

"Well, sir.  He could be taking her anywhere else on this planet.  If he is badly hurt, he may be searching out some secluded place."

"Why?"  Jack all but snapped as they jogged behind Teal'c.

"Animals often seek solitude when they sense impending death, O'Neill."  The Jaffa responded for Carter.

"Great."  The colonel muttered.

The night swallowed them as their search continued.

- - - - -

"Emma!"  The scientist jumped slightly as she heard her name being yelled in her ear.

"What?"  She mumbled, still asleep.

"Emma, can you hear me?"  It was Colonel O'Neill's voice.

Emma tried to move her head, but decided that it was too heavy and she was too tired.  The colonel yelled for her again.  "Yes… I hear you."  He wouldn't leave her alone.  "I hear you, I hear you… what do you want?"  Her voice rose a notch, cranky.  Finally, she managed to pull her eyelids opened… an immediately frowned.  She was alone.  Tired and hurt as she was, she almost jumped out of her skin when the colonel's voice called to her again… from somewhere in her right shoulder.  Ahh… radio.

She coughed… and then winced, because coughing was a bad idea.  She managed to force her hand up to her shoulder and cut the colonel off half way.

- - - - -

"Emma!  Emma, can you hear me!"  Jack had been yelling into the radio for five minutes.  He hoped the scientist could hear him, and he hoped Chaka had not done away with her radio the way he had with Daniel's.  

"Emma, respond.  Come on, wake up."

"-ou, Jack.  I hear you."  Her voice was thin, and soft.  He could hear congestion bubbling in the back of her throat, but those few simple words were enough to make him jump, pumping his fist in the air.

"Yeah!  Emma, where are you?"

There was a long pause.  "On the ground…?"  She whispered into the radio and then groaned as her mouth and split lip reminded her of the recent indignities inflicted upon it.

Jack did not miss the sound.  "Emma, where is Chaka?"  Another long pause.  Too long.  Jack held the radio up again and barked, "Emma!" into it, as loudly as he could.  The woman was probably fading in and out of consciousness.

"Here, Jack."  The radio clicked off for another pause.  Just when he thought he would have to yell again, he heard her voice.  "Chaka… gone."

Jack's eyes met Carter's and they shared the same thought.  Wounded animals finding some lonely place to die.  "Emma.  Look around.  What do you see?"

"Can't see."  Her voice was so tired.  "No glasses."  Carter smiled a bit with that one.  

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jack rolled his eyes at Carter.  "Try, Emma.  What do you see?"  They ground to a halt as Teal'c tried to pick up the trail again.  Within thirty seconds, they were off.

The radio clicked again.  "Trees.  Uh.  Sky.  Ground.  Oh…"  She sounded like something had caught her attention.  "Look, Jack.  It's an Unas…"  Her voice trailed off, and the radio clicked.  

- - - - -

"Emma!  Emma talk to me."  The voice was loud again.  Emma frowned.  It hurt her ears.  The Unas… probably Chaka, although too much of an indistinct blur to tell for sure, sat beside her.

"Here… here… sleepy, Jack.  Cold.  Maybe get… some sleep… feel… better in… morning?"  

"No!  No, Emma.  Don't sleep.  Tell me what you see.  Talk to me.  Come on!"  Jack's voice contained a note of panic.  It was enough to rouse Emma from the warm promise of sleep.

She pried her eyes open, looking over at Chaka.  She squinted, turning her head a little to look at the Unas out of the corner of her eye, helping to sharper her vision.  "He's eating."

"Good… good.  Eating what, Emma?"

Emma frowned at the Unas.  He was picking at her shirt, pulling it up.  She clicked the radio on.  "Me?  You gonna eat me, Mister Unas?"  She giggled, on the edge of hysteria.

- - - - -

"Oh god."  Carter breathed.  Emma and an Unas… had Chaka abandoned her?  Had he died?  Was this some alpha-male wannabe making a stand?

"Emma… Emma talk to me.  What's he doing?"  Jack could barely control the fear in his voice.  He clicked the radio off.  "Teal'c, we gotta pick up the pace."

"Believe me, O'Neill, I am not delaying this search any more than necessary."

"I know, Teal'c.  I know."  Jack clicked on the radio.  "Emma… talk to me."

"Unh."  Emma's voice crawled back to them.  "Get away.  No…  get back.  Jack.  He's…"  There was a shuffling noise, like she was trying to move away.  "No… ow… ow… ow."  Her voice started to get breathy, broken by soft coughs.  O'Neill, crouched, curled up in a ball, hands over his head as Emma's plaintive 'ow' turned into a ragged scream.  Abruptly, it cut off, leaving SG1 alone in the silence.

Jack picked up a rock, and fired it into the bush as hard as he could.  "God damn it!"  He swore.

"We'll find her, sir."  Carter said, trying for balance.  "You know we'll find her."

Jack put both hands on the brim of his cap, curling it reflexively, bringing himself back under control.  "I like that attitude, Carter.  Let's go."

- - - - -

Chaka looked down at Emma.  She had screamed and then lapsed into unconsciousness.  It was good, it made what he had to do easier.  He stripped a few fleshy leaves from the stalks he had gathered and stuffed them in to his mouth.  His sharp teeth made short work of the tough leaves, releasing the bitter juice.  He spat the mulch into his clawed hand, pulling the cloth away from Emma's shoulder, and packing the wound with the plants.  It hurt, he knew it hurt.  He had done the same to his own leg, but it stopped the bleeding.  The caustic juices acted like a cauterizing agent and disinfected the wound.

He chewed a few more leaves and packed the wound further.  He checked on the one in her stomach.  It was turning a black colour.  Good.  The plants were doing the work.  He stripped the last few leaves from the stalk and made quick work of them.  These leaves, he packed into the wound in her arm.  She moaned, but did not awaken.

Chaka looked at the radio tucked into the pocket at her shoulder.  O'Neill's voice sounded from it again, but he knew he could not make them understand.  He picked up Emma, cradling her in his arms, and moved out into the night.

- - - - -

Ten minutes later, SG1 was in the clearing.

"We are not far behind, O'Neill."  The Jaffa knelt, touching his fingers to the bloody grass.

"Was she alive?"  Jack forced himself to ask the question.

"There is not much blood here.  She was not bleeding as heavily as before."  Teal'c picked up some plant stems.  He sniffed them delicately and then touched his finger to the stem.  It was oozing a viscous yellow fluid.  He touched it to his tongue.  He considered the taste momentarily before looking at his commanding officer.  "I believe Chaka may have been binding Emma Collier's wounds."

"What?"  Carter moved closer.  She craned her neck, looking at the plants.

Teal'c held up the stalk.  "This plant has a similar taste and smell to one on Chulak.  The leaves can be ground up and placed into bleeding wounds, to slow the blood-loss.  Chaka may have been attempting to do this to Emma Collier."

"And that's why she screamed?"  Carter said, scanning the area.

"Indeed."  The big man responded.  "If this plant has the same effect as the plant on Chulak, it is a very painful medicine."

"Well… good."  Jack said, too relieved to care that he sounded callous.  "So, she could still be alive.  Carter… what are Chaka's options?"

"Well, sir."  Carter turned, looking at the sky and the trees.  "If my navigational sense is correct…"

"And it usually is."

"Thank you sir.  If I'm correct, we're about a twenty minute run from Chaka's cave."

"Teal'c… how's the trail?"

"Difficult to see, O'Neill.  There is much less blood."

"Ahh…  Okay.  Command decision."

"That's why we count on you, sir."

"Thaaank you, Carter.  Let's get to that cave.  Carter, you're on point.  Teal'c, take the six."

"Yes, sir."

- - - - -

Chaka, breathing heavily, stumbled into the cave.  He paused, examining his charge.  Emma was pale, almost translucent.  She was barely breathing.  Balancing her on his knee, Chaka touched her face… cold and clammy.  She had very little time.  Grunting, he picked her up and headed deeper into the stones.

- - - - -

SG1 arrived in a record fifteen minutes.  They clattered in to the cave entrance.  O'Neill dropped to his knees, breathing heavily.  "Let's never do that again."  He wheezed.

"Let's hope we never have to, sir."  Carter panted.

Teal'c lead the way into the gloom.  He had not even broken a sweat.  He quickly found Daniel Jackson's rough scrawls from his kidnapping.  _This way_.  "O'Neill."  He pointed to the ground.  Red blood.  Fresh red blood.

"Good call, sir."  Carter lifted her gun.

They had to duck and weave through a dozen tunnels, following scattered blood drops and footprints.  Chaka's path deviated from Daniel's original trek.  He was obviously not going to the main chamber, the room with all of the other Unas.

They followed the trail until they reached a large chamber.  Teal'c and Carter flattened themselves against the tunnel wall and covered the colonel as he stepped in to the room.

"Chaka?"  He drew out the word.  The Unas sat on the ground, legs crossed.  Emma was still in his arms.  The Unas had lit a small fire or, by the look of the ash scattered around the room, the fire was kept lit at all times.  Carter and Teal'c, seeing no immediate threat, came slowly into the room.

"Sir, look at this."  Carter breathed.  Barely lit by the low fire, the walls were covered by crudely drawn murals.  Swirls, geometric shapes, lines and abstract figures.

"Carter… I've got more pressing concerns."  O'Neill said dryly, trying to get closer to Chaka.  The Unas in question had his eyes closed, and was chanting softly in his native tongue.  Emma lay in the circle of his arms, utterly limp.

"Sir… I think this is some sort of holy place to them."

"Carter!"  Jack replied sharply.  "Unless we can get him to give up Emma, this will be a graveyard!"

Chaka's eyes snapped open at the sound of their raised voices.  Jack put up his hands, trying to look non-threatening.  The Unas growled at him, and threw a handful of leaves onto the fire.  As the dry foliage caught, it released a sweet smoke.  Jack waved his hands away, and tried again to approach.

"Chaka!  Schet!"  The Unas pointed to O'Neill and then to the ground.

"Uh… Carter?"

"I don't know, sir."  Repeating the words, Chaka pointed to Teal'c and then to a different part of the room.

"I believe he wants us to take places next to him, O'Neill."

"We don't have time for this, Teal'c.  I don't even know if she's alive."  As if on cue, Emma moaned softly, her hand twitching.  Jack took a step forward only to have Chaka unleash a bestial snarl at him.

"Sir, he's not going to give her up.  We better do as he says."

Jack gave ground.  Emma was practically acting as a shield for the Unas.  There was no way they could take him out without hurting her… especially given how hard it was to kill the things.

"Thirty seconds."  He said.  He dropped to the floor to Chaka's left.  He felt a little light-headed.  Must be the run and whatever the hell Chaka was burning in the fire.  Carter sat facing Chaka, and Teal'c gracefully folded himself into place at Chaka's right.  "Thirty seconds.  If whatever he wants to happen doesn't happen, then we take her back.  Got me, Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thirty…"  Jack's eyes closed of their own accord.

"Jack, uh, we're going to have to work on your patience."  A familiar voice spoke.

Jack's eyes shot open, disbelieving.  Seated cross-legged in front of him was a very real, very whole Daniel Jackson.  The archaeologist looked tanned and healthy… and more, he looked happy.  Jack reached out a hand.  "Daniel?"  He whispered softly.  He looked at Carter, to see if she could confirm this hallucination.  His second in command sat perfectly still.  He frowned as he realised that everything stood perfectly still.  Even the fire had frozen into a work of graceful, ethereal sculpture.  A large ball of light illuminated the cave room, making it as bright as daylight.

Jack reached out a hand, touching the younger man's cheek.  Daniel gave a small smile and ducked his head.  "How you doing, Jack?"

"Good."  The colonel whispered.  "Ran into an old friend of yours."

Daniel craned his head around at Chaka.  "Yeah.  I heard."

"Why didn't you tell us, Daniel?"  Jack's eyes went dark.

"About Emma?"

Jack waved his hands.  "About everything.  Dammit, Daniel, we knew you were unhappy.  You just, sort of… fell away from us."  Jack hung his head.  "I should have asked, I should have pushed…"

Daniel got to his knees, putting his hands on either side of Jack's head, stopping his words.  "Jack… Jack.  You asked.  You were there.  I just… fell away from myself.  I doubt if I could have articulated my feelings to you.  God knows, I tried.  I just couldn't make the words come out.  Jack… this was not your fault."

"Daniel."  Jack's voice broke and he swept the younger man into a hug.

"Thank you, Jack.  Thank you for everything."

"Come back and see us sometime, Daniel.  You can stay at my place."  He was rewarded by a smile.

"I'll see, Jack.  Thanks."

Daniel got to his feet and sat down in front of Carter.  He touched her hand and called her name.

"Sam."

Her eyes flew open.  Like Jack, she stared at Daniel, then looked over to the others to see if anyone could confirm what she was seeing.  Jack, leaning his elbow on his knee, nodded and held up a hand.  Whaddya expect?  His gesture said.  Carter turned back to the… spectre before her.

"Daniel."

"Hey.  So… what do you think of the room?"

"Oh god, Daniel."  Carter enveloped him in a crushing hug.  It nearly bowled the two of them over, until Daniel caught his balance.

"Missed you two, Sam."  He whispered, pressing his head into the hollow of her shoulder.

"Will you stay?  Can you stay with us?"  She sat back and looked at him.  Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, unnoticed.

Daniel touched her face softly.  "I… can't.  I'm sorry."

Sam nodded, choking back her denials.  "Daniel… are you happy now?"

"I was always happy when I was with you guys.  You know that.  I mean… individual events were pretty nasty, but you guys meant everything to me.  I never would have made it as far as I did without you."  He looked up, tears threatening.  "Sam… you guys gave me so much.  Doing what I did was the hardest decision I ever made… but it was the right one."

"Oh, Daniel.  I'm happy for you… really.  It's just so hard some days."

"I know.  I know."  Daniel reached forward and kissed Sam's forehead gently.  "I'm glad I got to see you, Sam."

"Take care of yourself, Daniel."  Despite the awkward words, Daniel understood that she wished him well.

The archaeologist stood and then knelt before Teal'c.  He touched the big man's shoulders and Teal'c's brown eyes opened.  Unlike Jack and Sam, he did not look around, simply accepting the evidence of his eyes.

"Daniel Jackson.  It pleases me greatly to see you again."

"Hi Teal'c.  How's Junior?"

"My symbiote is keeping me well."

"Not well enough, by the looks of it."  Daniel reached out and lightly touched each of Teal'c's bullet wounds.  His fingers left a small glowing light that sunk into Teal'c's flesh.  The Jaffa flexed his arms experimentally.

"Thank you, Daniel Jackson.  I no longer feel any pain."

"Sorry, I can't do much more for you."

"I appreciate all that you have done for me, Daniel Jackson."  Teal'c reached out an arm and touched Daniel's shoulder.  "From the day we met, you have improved my life, my faith and the existence of all those fortunate enough to cross your path."  Daniel opened his mouth, probably to deny the statement but Teal'c cut him off.  "I feel your absence like a knife wound to my heart, but I carry with me my memories of you and the many lessons you have taught me."  He bowed his head.  "No man is truly gone while others remember him.  I promise to always remember you, Daniel Jackson."

The tears that threatened during his talk with Sam reappeared and slid down Daniel's face.  "Thank you, Teal'c.  It's partly because of all that you taught me that I was able to see my way to taking this next step.  Thank you for that… and for everything.  Look after Emma for me, okay?  Sometimes she doesn't eat well… she practically lives on coffee and you can never get her to sleep properly."  Daniel smiled.

The two men gripped forearms in the fashion of soldiers before Daniel got to his feet, this time kneeling before Chaka and Emma.  He touched the Unas's hand, and the creature opened his yellow eyes.  Chaka gave his gargoyle grin and touched Daniel's arm.  The two conversed in the Unas language briefly.  Jack assumed that Daniel was giving Chaka the feel-good friend speech.  Whatever it was, Chaka bowed his head to Daniel and the anthropologist grinned broadly.

Finally, Daniel came to Emma.  His face showed no emotion as he beheld her battered and bloody body.  Jack wondered briefly if she was even alive.  Daniel ran his hand across her face, over her lips and then leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead.  The glow that had healed Teal'c reappeared, suffusing through her pale flesh.  Daniel sat back on his heels and watched as the glow faded away.  Everyone kept perfectly still for a moment until Emma drew one heaving breath and opened her eyes.

"Hey, Auntie Em.  No place like home…."  Daniel said playfully.  Her eyes found his and she smiled.

"What's new, Charlie Brown?"  She replied softly, one hand touching his cheek.  All of Daniel's friends seemed to need the confirmation of physical contact.  Jack and Carter exchanged glances.  Okay… 'Auntie Em' was an obvious play on Emma's name, but 'Charlie Brown'?  Sam smiled.  The perpetually hang-dog, down on his luck, overly sensitive boy.  Daniel Jackson's animated alter-ego.

The pair sat still, looking into each other's eyes.  Jack wondered briefly at that, but then realised that they had spent some of the most horrible moments and the most wonderful moments with each other, or comforting each other.  Somewhere along the way, they had gotten past the need for words.  Finally, Emma smiled and closed her eyes, chuckling softly at whatever she read in Daniel's expression.  She pushed herself up, out of Chaka's lap and on to the floor.  Daniel opened his arms and she slid into his embrace.  He held her close for a moment, resting his chin on the top of her head.  The ball of light above their heads dimmed, and then faded.  Everyone took a few seconds for their eyes to adjust and then looked to Emma.

She had her arms wrapped around her chest, her eyes lifted to the ceiling.  Her cheeks were wet with tears, but she smiled.  Sam got up and wrapped the newly healed geomorphologist in her arms, rocking back and forth.  After a moment, Jack joined them, pulling the pair to his chest.  Chaka was next, putting a clawed hand to Jack's shoulder and finally Teal'c came forward, a solid presence, touching his palm to Sam's shoulder and completing the circle.

There would be hell to pay when they returned to the base, and explanations and briefings for days, but for now, nothing existed but Daniel Jackson's friends and the joy they shared at having known him.


End file.
